Ordinary Life
by Aviantei
Summary: I'll admit that I'm terribly jealous. You see, you have a sense of normalcy, a world that doesn't change. A perfectly simple, ordinary life. I really don't think that's something I was ever meant to have. RinxOC
1. Forward

**Ordinary Life**

By: Aviantei

Forward

* * *

_Speak of the devil and he will appear. _I guess we're just all lucky that isn't true.

Okay, okay, I _know_ that was stupid, I just… I'm really no good at this sort of stuff. Sure, I love stories in every conceivable form, but I've never been any good at writing them down. I guess if someone else scripted the whole thing out, I could _draw_ it, but I don't exactly have the time for that. It was better to just let Yori-sensei handle the whole thing and leave it at that.

Except Yori-sensei insisted that I did some sort of prologue note so that people would understand that this request came from me… Though I find that kind of silly since you're just going to think I'm a fictional character and this is some sort of super-meta technique.

Fine, think what you want. I believe in letting the reader make decisions about what they're reading. It's not my job to tell you how to take this.

Putting that aside, I guess I should talk about this story for a bit, huh? The truth is, I've been running around, having no idea of how to start this thing for ages. I mean, there were just too many important points to deal with. Did I start from high school, where his story did? How about middle school? Or maybe all the way back from the beginning, when I was a little brat?

I couldn't decide. I could never decide. So I just did a bunch of base recordings and let Yori-sensei decide for me. I told the others, asked them to give some input. And after a lot of time and effort on Yori-sensei's part, we ended up with this.

Let me tell you something. This world isn't as peaceful as you think. Some of you may have encountered this before, have firsthand experience. Others of you are clueless. Some of you might come around, and others will remain skeptic. After all, it's just a book to you.

But like I said that's fine. If that's the case, I'll admit that I'm terribly jealous. You see, you have a sense of normalcy, a world that doesn't change.

A perfectly simple, ordinary life.

I really don't think that's something I was ever meant to have.

* * *

Okay, new story here, 'cause I can't just stick to one idea at a time.

Some of you may be familiar with my other _Ao no Exorcist_ story, _Tilling Soil_. _Ordinary Life_ is meant to be separate, but _Tilling Soil_ is a side adventure where the protagonist of this story takes part in. There will be references (when I get to that chunk of the timeline), but you shouldn't have to worry about it.

To be honest, I've been staring down this story trying to figure out where to start it up, and I finally found it. It may be a slow journey, but I hope anyone who reads it will enjoy it.

Yay, I finally got hired. Go me.

The official first chapter should be up by November 19.

* * *

NEXT:

"How's she doing?"

"I'll contribute that to her parenting."

"Simply put, I intend to make her indispensable to the wellbeing of the Order."

"Yukio-kun, you didn't go to Shiro-kun's funeral?"

"You have my number, so just contact me whenever."

"I may be mistaken, but it sounds like your friends need you right now."

"Oh, I know! If he's putting up his defenses against you, then he'll never suspect it if he gets a surprise friendship sneak attack from someone else. I volunteer!"

[POST] 081314


	2. Chapter One

**Ordinary Life**

By: Aviantei

Chapter One

* * *

"How is she doing?" Mephisto asked, standing behind his best friend. Father Fujimoto Shiro didn't look back, focusing his attention on the sleeping girl in front of them. She had traces of scrapes and bruises, but they would heal soon enough with her powers. Mephisto was more concerned about things aside from physical wounds.

"It's hard to tell because she's unconscious, but at least she's not in shock. We'll have to wait and see," Shiro reported, pushing up his glasses. He frowned, directing the expression at Mephisto. "I am sorry I wasn't there to stop this, but you should have put your foot down, Mephisto. No child deserves to go through this, even if she is a half-demon."

Mephisto didn't bother to repress his snicker. He did, however, make sure to contain his outburst before it became a full-out laugh. It wouldn't do any good to wake his daughter up when she deserved a rest. "You become more and more like a father every day, Shiro-kun. At this rate, I may win our little wager."

"I could say the same for you," Shiro retorted. He took a few steps away, cracking the room's solitary window open before he went to light up his cigarette. He took a drag, the smoke getting sucked out by the breeze. "I really don't understand what you were thinking, though. If you weren't careful, Whiskey-chan could have been killed."

Mephisto shook his head and grinned, showing off the pointed ends of his teeth. "My Whiskey-chan is far more resilient than that. They wanted to test her, so I let them. Not only do they have no choice but to accept her with your blessing, but I know for a fact that some of them feel bad. They'll be indebted to her."

Shiro scoffed. "You're telling me you actually planned all of this?"

"Not all of it. I simply took advantage of the situation when it arose."

On the other side of the room, Whiskey made a small noise as she rolled over. Both men watched her face intently, searching for any traces of a nightmare. Mephisto didn't even bother to cover up his concern. Shiro already knew that the demon cared for his daughter, so there was no need to pretend like he didn't. The past month had been enough of that particular façade anyway.

"You should at least tell me what you're planning," Shiro said. Mephisto raised both eyebrows in exaggerated surprise. "I did just save you on this one, Mephisto. The least you can do is tell me why all of this was necessary."

Mephisto considered it for a few moments. He had planned to tell Shiro, but not this soon. In fact, he had even been hoping that Shiro wouldn't catch on for at least a few more years, maybe even until the youngest brat finished up his exorcist training.

Now, with Shiro sounding almost distrusting for the first time in years, it appeared that he had no other choice.

"You wound me, Shiro-kun," Mephisto said, hiding what little dissatisfaction he had behind cheerfulness. He swept off his hat, holding it over his chest, above his heart. "This is only a one-time endeavor. My darling Whiskey just hasn't had any time in combat. I wanted to ease her into it, but this arrived instead. She's young. It would be better that she understands how cruel the world can be early on."

Shiro frowned, only dropping the expression to exhale his cigarette smoke. "I'll never understand demon methods of rearing children," he said, almost sounding bitter.

This time, Mephisto did laugh—a full blown guffaw even—although he did keep it short. "I think you understand better than anyone, with those twins of yours. Besides, the youngest one's already training to become an exorcist, I hear?" Mephisto returned his hat to its proper place, grinning. "I think that's almost crueler than what just happened with Whiskey-chan."

"You might be right there." Shiro grimaced a bit, but he didn't seem angry anymore. "So then you don't intend for her to become an exorcist? That's a bit of a waste with the talent I heard her showing off, even if she is a bit more in tune with her demon side than other mixed-blood exorcists I've seen." The Paladin paused, then his face broke out into a grin. "I'll contribute that to her parenting."

"I've only been teaching her proper demon and human etiquette, in case of emergencies. Though I do wish she would listen to me when I tell her that she should hide her tail, it's unfitting of a lady…" Almost to taunt him, Whiskey's tail flicked up into the air before wrapping around the small girl's stomach. Mephisto sighed. "Putting that aside, she'll become an exorcist if she wants to. Daresay she may jump at the chance. She's already read and watched most of my anime and manga collection."

Shiro snorted. "Like daughter, like father, huh?"

And it was true. There were moments where Whiskey was a smaller version of her father, albeit with less knowledge of the world. That would be fixed in time, however, there was no need to rush.

"But in all seriousness, it would be best if she did become an exorcist," Mephisto added.

Shiro looked his friend in the eye, tossing his cigarette out the window without a second thought. "So you are planning something. Don't leave me in suspense."

It would have been easy to lie, but there was no need to. Regardless of his position, Shiro wouldn't make a big issue about anything Mephisto was planning. No, the Paladin would handle the matter personally, avoiding the consequences of a scandal.

Mephisto walked back to the bed where Whiskey was sleeping, placing a gentle hand in her hair. "Simply put, I intend to make her indispensable to the wellbeing of the Order."

* * *

Whiskey Pheles exhaled, wiping the sweat off her brow and looking over the dorm room once more. They had just moved everything in today, but most of the work on unpacking boxes and putting things away fell onto Whiskey. It wasn't like the other two weren't willing to help, but Mocha would only get too excited and get in the way, and Ruma would give up way too quickly, only lounging around instead of unpacking.

Really, sending them out to grab some takeout for dinner had been the best bet. Whiskey had even paid them to do it.

She took a deep breath, trying to slow down her heartbeat. It was her first time living in a dorm, and the same applied to Ruma. Mocha was the exception. However, Whiskey was probably the only nervous one. Even if all of the True Cross schools offered dorms, this had been the first time Whiskey had decided to try it. After all, this was the first year she had found people that she was close enough to that could make her willing enough to share a room with them.

_Ruma. Mocha-chan. My friends…_

Whiskey smiled a bit. It was silly to bother paying for dorm services whenever she lived practically on top of the school. Even so, her father had encouraged her, saying that something like cost didn't even matter. She wondered if any of the three of them were paying their fees at all at this rate.

Living on her own shouldn't have been a problem. She was a high schooler, and there would only be three more years until she was considered an adult. She was going to have to get used to the idea sooner or later. And even if things went wrong, it wasn't like going home would be a hassle.

Her hand went to the magic key in her pocket, and the touch of metal made her relax instantly. It had been the first magic key she had ever been given, all the way back in elementary school. It had always worked back then, and it always would. Home was only a doorway and a keyhole away. There was nothing to worry about.

Whiskey smiled.

_I am going to have to stop using a key like a security blanket, though…_

She pulled the key out of her pocket, a second one following it. While the key to the Pheles mansion was covered in dings and scratches from years of use, the Exorcist Cram School key was new, bright and shiny. Unlike Whiskey's house key, this one was going to be used almost every day. It probably wouldn't be long until the two keys were almost identical.

_It's not like I need the house key on me at all times, either,_ she considered. _I probably could just leave it in the dorm room for emergencies. It's not like I can't walk up to the house if Vatti wants to see me…_ Whiskey pulled open her desk drawers, searching for a place. Everything was already lined up neatly, and adding something else would be a pain, finding an unassigned place almost impossible. _Not yet. Maybe I can just keep it on me for just a bit longer._

She looked at the key again, then at the dormitory's door. It would be easy to go home, maybe pick up a few volumes of manga off the shelves to read, then head back before Ruma and Mocha returned with whatever food they had selected for dinner. Although, she'd probably lose track of time and end up reading into the night instead.

It was tempting.

Whiskey stepped into the hallway, shoving the Cram School key into the lock instead. Before she could change her mind, the girl stepped through the door, ending up in the immaculate hallways of the Cram School that existed somewhere on campus. It wasn't the first time Whiskey had been there, but it was the first time she had used her own key to do it.

And tomorrow, she would start her formal exorcist training.

Whiskey wandered down the halls, looking for which classroom would be hers. Some of the other classes had different rooms—Mephisto had based the schedules and practices off of European schools, go figure—but there was still a home room that she would spend most of her time in, alongside her fellow classmates.

One of the doors was propped open, and the lights were on. Whiskey peeked her head inside, hoping to find someone to at least point her in the right direction. And sure enough, there was a figure in an exorcist jacket organizing a stack of resources in the back corner.

"Yukio-kun," Whiskey said, and the boy in question stood up. He looked tired, the rims of his glasses just barely covering the bags beneath his eyes, but he still managed to smile anyway.

"Pheles-san, how are you?" Yukio asked. Whiskey wondered how much he really cared and how much he was being polite. "Well, since you're here, this is the classroom we'll be using or tomorrow's first class and Spirit Wound ritual."

Whiskey scowled, though it was more playful than taunting. "Come on, Yukio-kun, we've known each other for a few years, no need to be so formal." She smiled a bit though. At least her guess had been right. "Although, I guess I should call you 'Sensei' now, since you _are_ my teacher starting tomorrow… Well, at least I know that I'll be in good hands. I expect top-notch training to become a Doctor, alright?"

Yukio adjusted his glasses as if the words were a challenge. "My training is only as good as the effort that the students put into it, Pheles-san. If you want to pursue Doctor as your Meister, you need to take your studies seriously."

"Well, I knew that, so I've been prepared for a while." Whiskey felt her smile drop a little. Yukio sounded mostly confident, but it wasn't entirely convincing. "Yukio-kun, you didn't go to Shiro-kun's funeral?"

The words hung over the room, looming like the clouds that had been dumping down rain on the graveyard earlier. Whiskey had gone, but she hadn't stayed for long afterwards. Mocha and Ruma had been sending a torrent of messages to her phone, and her father had needed to tend to official Order business and had sent her home.

But Yukio was Shiro's son. Whiskey had expected him to stay for at least a bit longer, not go straight back to work.

Yukio frowned. It wasn't an uncommon expression on his face, but Whiskey still didn't like it. She had never seen the young exorcist lose his cool, but there was always a first time for everything. Yukio sighed. "Father Fujimoto wouldn't have wanted me to lose sight of my duties, even if he was gone," he said. "He would want me to carry on and pursue my goals."

This time, Whiskey frowned. "He also wouldn't want you to bottle everything up," she retorted. "If you feel sad, then you should let yourself feel sad for a while." Yukio continued to stare at her, his eyes hard. "You're not the only person who cared about Shiro-kun, Yukio. I may not have been hit as hard by the loss, but you can still talk to me if you need it."

"It's inappropriate for a teacher to place his burdens on his students." It figured that Yukio would come up with an excuse like that. It figured that he could come up with it in less than a second.

Whiskey put a hand on her hip. "Yeah, well, you're not my teacher yet, _Sensei_, so why don't you stop worrying about it." She lightened up the tone of her voice. "Besides, we're also classmates and comrades at the same time. And beyond that, we've been friends for a few years. There's no need to be so formal when it comes to me."

Yukio paused. He turned his head down to the materials he was organizing, probably on purpose. Whiskey let him have his moment, let him sit in silence and consider.

"I'll think about it," he finally said.

Whiskey nodded, smiling again. "That's better," she said, patting the boy's shoulder. "You have my number, so just contact me whenever. Things may get a little bit busy with school, but being there whenever someone really needs me is a bit more important, don't you think?"

_Toki wo koete Ima kimi ni ai ni kita  
Uwattsura wo zuruzuru—_

Whiskey held up a hand in apology as she picked up her phone. Yukio nodded in understanding.

"_Whiskey-chaaaan, where are you?!_" the voice on the other end whined. Whiskey didn't even get a chance to greet them properly. "_We brought back all sorts of tasty food for you, and you're not even here! If you don't hurry back, Ruma-chan says she's gonna eat it all. Isn't that right, Ruma-chan?_"

There was a muffled response on the other end that sounded a lot like an affirmative mixed with food being chewed.

"Alright, alright, I'll be headed back soon, I didn't go far," Whiskey said.

"_See you soon, Whiskey-chan!_"

"Yeah, I'll see ya." Whiskey hung up and sent an apologetic smile in Yukio's direction. "Sorry, it seems like I need to head home before there isn't any food left for me. But I really meant everything I said, Yukio-kun. Don't be a stranger, okay?"

Yukio smiled. It was forced. Whiskey could see it, even if he was trying to hide it. Her nose twitched in annoyance. "I'll keep that in mind. But if your dinner is at risk, you should head back. I may be mistaken, but it sounds like your friends need you right now. Don't let me hold you back."

Whiskey reached out a hand, ruffling the boy's hair just because she knew it annoyed him. "Don't talk like that. You're my friend, too," she said. Yukio stared, his lips parted slightly. "See you at the opening ceremonies!"

* * *

The smell of food hit her the instant she went back through the door. They had gotten Chinese, and several cartons were opened already, their contents partially gorged. Whiskey sat down and took the plate that Mocha offered her, capturing what she could before Ruma's chopsticks got in the way.

"Welcome back, Whiskey-chan, did you have a nice walk?" Mocha asked, picking away at her own food. She was eating much slower than Ruma, who seemed to be holding true on her promise to eat everything.

"Yeah, it was okay," Whiskey said. She tried to keep her tail from fidgeting, but it wasn't much use. Yukio was pleasant, but he somehow managed to annoy her at times. Mocha only stared, not having to say anything else. "Okay, fine, I ran into one of our Cram School teachers that's a friend of mine and he got on my nerves."

Mocha giggled. "Oh, that's unusual. You're going to be okay by tomorrow, aren't you? It would be fun to see Whiskey lose her cool again, but I wouldn't want you to get in trouble on your first day."

"What's it matter?" Ruma asked, her words partially muffled by the food in her mouth. She swallowed, and bits of rice mixed in with the freckles on her cheeks. "Her dad owns this entire place, so it's not like they would expel her or anything."

Whiskey frowned. "You know I consider that kind of thing cheating, right?" Ruma shrugged. "I'm going to do this all on my own. I don't need Vati's help to become an exorcist or anything else. If I screw up, I'll take responsibility for it."

"I'm just saying not to waste a good thing." Ruma swiped several dumplings and Whiskey had to resist the urge to take more before they were gone. It would throw off her plate balance. "Besides, Mocha and I both know you can do it, Whiskey. You don't need to be so dramatic about it."

Mocha nodded, the force sending her pigtails flying. "That's right! Whiskey-chan's gonna be an amazing exorcist someday and nothing's going to stop her!" she agreed. "We'll be here if you need us, so we'll keep you in line with this teacher tomorrow! …Oh, what's your problem with him anyway, Whiskey-chan?"

Whiskey contemplated the question while she chewed her food. Mocha waited, but she had started to bounce a bit, and the soup in her hands looked on the verge of spilling. Whiskey was good at cleaning, but that didn't mean she enjoyed trying to get soup stains out of wood.

She swallowed.

"I don't know…" she admitted. "I guess maybe he reminds me a bit too much of me? Like he tries to take everything on by himself and doesn't let people help him, I guess." Mocha tilted her head and even Ruma could be bothered to look up in curiosity. "In the end, I think he needs a friend, but I don't think he's going to let me do it."

Ruma snorted. "Only you could get annoyed by someone not wanting to be your friend, Whiskey," she said. Whiskey frowned.

"That's okay, Whiskey-chan, I'm sure he'll come around in time!" Mocha cheered. She winked, pointing her spoon in her friend's direction. Whiskey's instincts told her to chide Mocha for her poor dining manners, but she decided to let it slide. "Oh, I know! If he's putting up his defenses against you, then he'll never suspect it if he gets a surprise friendship sneak attack from someone else. I volunteer! Ruma-chan, you should help, too!"

"I'll think about it," Ruma allowed. She didn't seem very enthused, but Mocha had enough enthusiasm for the endeavor that covered all three of them. Hell, it probably covered Yukio's part of the bill, too, even if he wasn't there.

Whiskey smiled a little. It was crazy, but Mocha's ideas always on friendship always seemed to work out in the end. "Alright," she said, "I'll introduce you to him tomorrow."

* * *

Okay it's finally here!

Thanks to Mew SunsetStar and iluvninjas for your follows and review. I hope you enjoy the story and look forward to hearing from you again.

I haven't quite figured out all the pacing for this story yet. I'm gonna sit down today and try and make some headway in my planning.

Wait a minute, wasn't I supposed to be working on NaNoWriMo instead?

Also: I meant to post this last Wednesday but that didn't quite happen. Sorry about that.

The next chapter doesn't have a set date for it to come out, so please keep an eye out for it!

* * *

NEXT:

"You guys do remember that I'm supposed to be 'Margeret' when we're at school right?"

"Please be on time for class today."

"Now don't you look nice in your new uniform."

"He was raising two children—Okumura Yukio, whom you've already met. The other is Yukio-kun's twin brother, Rin-kun, who awakened his half-demon blood during the incident."

"Besides, someone else could help him, but that would just let the secret out."

_Just take a deep breath and move on with life._

[POST]112514


	3. Chapter Two

**Ordinary Life**

By: Aviantei

Chapter Two

* * *

Yukio's entrance ceremony speech, as expected, was phenomenal. It should have been obvious that he was going to put his all into it, but Whiskey was still stunned. He had taken on the roles of the freshman class representative, an exorcist, a Cram School teacher, and he had just lost his father. Somehow, Yukio had still managed to pull off his speech like it was natural, and he even had girls in the audience fawning over him.

Whiskey ground her teeth together, the points of her incisors starting to dig into her lip. For some reason, seeing that he was doing alright just served to annoy her more. The only saving grace was that his shoulders were still tensed up even as he left the stage, meaning he wasn't as calm as he let everyone think he was.

"Hey," Ruma whispered, completely ignoring the rest of the entrance ceremony. Some of the students sent glares in the redhead's direction for talking, but she ignored them. "Whiskey, didn't you say that guy's name was Okumura? The one you were pissed at."

Mocha caught onto the conversation thread, her eyes sparkling. "Whoa, Whiskey-chan, you're friends with the student representative?" she whispered as well, leaning forward in her seat to see around Ruma. "That's so cool! Why didn't you say anything?"

The students stood up, signaling the end of the assembly. Whiskey blinked, having been distracted by her friends to not hear the call to dismissal. The student body made their way out of the room, and Whiskey fell into step with them. "I didn't really consider it important," she said. "I mean, sure, he got the top grade on the entrance exam, but does that really contribute to your view of him as a person?"

"Ugh, no need to get philosophical," Ruma grumbled, bringing a hand to her forehead. Mocha pouted a little, but didn't protest. "So are we gonna meet with this guy? Cause I'd like to enjoy my last afternoon without classes with a nice nap if we're not."

"Yeah, Whiskey-chan, what's the deal?"

Mocha's shout drew a few looks in the trio's direction, and several eyebrows were raised. Whiskey blushed a bit, cursing the heat in her cheeks. "You guys do remember that I'm supposed to be 'Margeret' when we're at school right?" she said, a dangerous tone slipping into her voice.

"Oh yeah…" Ruma mused and nervous laugh escaped Mocha's mouth. "It just makes you sound like such a dork, though. No wonder I picked on you."

"Yeah, Whiskey-chan is Whiskey-chan," Mocha agreed. "How'd you get stuck with a name like that anyway? I never did ask."

Whiskey sighed. She didn't really like it, but 'Margeret Faust' was the name she was stuck with when it came to interacting with the ordinary world. It had its benefits—like avoiding assumptions at her true given name and associating her with her father's own alias of 'Johan Faust'—but it also had its downsides. Whenever someone called her it, Whiskey felt like someone was forcing a second skin on her, one that didn't let her breathe.

"It was the name Mutti wanted to give me," Whiskey said and left it at that. Ruma and Mocha didn't pursue the issue. Even though their collective friendship hadn't come to fruition until not even a year ago, they still knew better than to talk about her mother. Whiskey took a deep breath and smiled, turning back to her two friends. "Now, if you just give me a minute, I'm going to hunt down Yukio-kun and force him to make some friends."

"Good luck, Whiskey-chan," Mocha encouraged, completely ignoring the request to use Whiskey's alias in public. For some reason, it didn't really bother the half-demon much—that was just how Mocha was. Ruma only nodded her understanding, and the duo split off into the crowd.

Whiskey focused back onto the dispersing students. Everyone was chattering, and the snippets of conversation Whiskey picked up on indicated that most people were grateful for their last day off. If she didn't act quick, Yukio would find some doorway to slip away to, and it would be impossible to convince him to socialize in favor of work.

Trying not to look too suspicious, she sniffed the air. The student body was overwhelming, but eventually her enhanced sense of smell was able to pick Yukio out amongst the crowd. Sure enough, he was close to the front of the crowd, and Whiskey shoved more than a few people out of the way as she struggled to catch up with him, using her nose as a guide.

After at least a minute, Whiskey was able to see the boy instead of just smell him. The look of ease on his face had yet to subside from the ceremony, but his eyebrows were becoming furrowed and it looked like he was muttering to himself.

"Oi, Yukio!" Whiskey called. By some stroke of fate, he actually heard it, turning his head and even stopping. Whiskey caught up to him, the crowd of students parting around them like a stream around a rock. "Hey, Yukio-kun, we have some free time before class starts. You wanna meet up with some of my friends?"

Up close, Yukio's tension was even more obvious. Whiskey could practically see the muscles hardened in his neck, and the bags under his eyes seemed even darker. It was enough for the girl to have a frown rivaling on par with his.

Yukio seemed to consider the proposal for a moment—before he put on a polite smile and shook his head. "I'm sorry Faust-san, but since I'm going to be in charge of the lesson, I need more time to prepare than you do," he said. "I'm sure your friends can wait until a less stressful time." Yukio turned to his watch, the action seeming smooth and unforced. "Now, if you'll excuse me. Please be on time for class today."

It was such a smooth deflection that Whiskey didn't have the time to come up with a retort. A few other students managed to break out of the crowd, bumping against Whiskey as they went, not even offering an apology in their wake. By the time the girl managed to stand up straight and dust herself off, Yukio was already gone.

_That little piece of shit,_ Whiskey internally griped. There was no point in trying to chase after him now, considering she had been swallowed up by the crowd. Even so, it really pissed her off. She and Yukio weren't exactly the best of friends in the short amount of time they had known each other, but he had never tried so hard to not be around her before.

"Ah, ah, ah, Whiskey-chan," a voice scolded. Without even being told to, Whiskey snapped to attention. "If you're not careful you're going to set off a storm of Coal Tar, and I daresay those things will utterly ruin the view."

"S-sorry, Vati," Whiskey said. Closing her eyes, she took a few deep breaths, calming her irritation. It didn't completely disappear, but it was at the very least put away in a little box that could be retrieved later. Satisfied that she had her emotions and abilities under control, Whiskey turned around to face her father.

Mephisto Pheles—or, as the other students now staring would think of him, Headmaster Faust—grinned, not looking too concerned about his daughter's potential outburst. Whiskey was used to this sort of thing. In fact, she wouldn't be surprised if Mephisto would just sit back and watch on the sidelines if an incident _did_ occur. He was just that kind of man.

"Now don't you look nice in your new uniform," Mephisto complimented, and Whiskey felt some heat rush up to her cheeks. She looked around, hoping none of the other students had heard, but that wasn't the case. The sudden arrival of the Headmaster in their midst had brought a large portion of the flow of students to a halt, instead resulting in a rather large crowd. "While I do think that you should have gone for the female uniform, you do pull off the boys' one quite nicely. Then again, that's to be expected of my Whiskey-chan."

Whiskey blushed more, fidgeting with the buttons of her uniform jacket. She hadn't really _meant_ to get a boys' uniform, but had more so decided on a whim that she wanted to try it. Besides, the student handbook only said that students had to attend classes _wearing_ a uniform. It never said _which_ one you had to be wearing.

Putting the loophole aside, Whiskey felt that Mephisto would have let her get away with it regardless.

"So, I take it that you've settled in to the dorms already?" Mephisto continued.

"Yeah," Whiskey answered. Focusing in on her father, she tried to ignore the other students. Hopefully she could make it through this encounter without having too many rumors start about her. It was hard enough at times being the Headmaster's daughter. "Ruma and Mocha-chan still had a few things packed away and I'm sure they'll find a way to make a mess of the place, but I'm sure I can manage."

Mephisto nodded, his grin not fading in the slightest. "Very good, very good." Her looked around, then waved a hand, signaling for the throng of students to move on. Once the shuffling of feet picked up again, Mephisto placed a hand on his daughter's shoulder. "High school children are always so nosy. Now, since I have some important things to tell you, why don't we go somewhere more private to chat?"

Whiskey didn't even have the instinct to try and protest. Yukio had effectively blown her off, so that plan was down the drain. Mocha could always find some way to entertain herself, and Ruma was probably going to sneak in a nap before cram school. Besides, even if Whiskey disagreed, her father would make her go along anyway.

And he had made it clear it wasn't something to be talked about around ordinary True Cross Academy students. That at least somewhat increased the chances that it was something important.

Mephisto spun around, sending his cape into the air, and put a hand around Whiskey's arm to lead her off. A few turns down hallways later, they were completely alone. Mephisto muttered, "_Einz, zwei, drei,_" then snapped his fingers, the German count of three sending them off in a puff of pink smoke.

Whiskey opened her eyes to her father's office. Mephisto released his hold on her arm and headed for the seat at his desk. Whiskey moved to stand in front of him, but didn't sit down. The opening ceremony had taken up some time, and her legs weren't ready to be idle so soon. "So what's up, Vati?" she asked, indulging Mephisto's more dramatic tendencies.

The man smiled, meeting her gaze. "As you know, Shiro-kun passed away two days ago," he began. The recap wasn't really necessary, especially since it was the main reason Whiskey was trying to get Yukio to open up, but she held her tongue. "He was raising two children—Okumura Yukio, whom you've already met. The other is Yukio-kun's twin brother, Rin-kun, who awakened his half-demon blood during the incident."

Whiskey frowned, and she could feel her nose crinkle with the motion. "But Yukio-kun's not—"

"Only Rin-kun has inherited any of his father's powers. As you know, Okumura Yukio lost his mother hardly any time after he was born, which is why Shiro-kun took them in. Of course, most demon fathers are hardly around for their children." As if sensing his own daughter discomfort, he added, "You happen to be a happy exception."

Whiskey nodded. "Okay, so what happens to Rin-kun?" she asked.

Mephisto folded his hands in his lap. "Well, it appears that he wishes to become an exorcist," he informed. Whiskey could hear the tone in her father's voice that this was exactly the outcome he had been hoping for. "True to the terms of my agreement with Shiro-kun, I have chosen to honor Rin-kun's desires as his new caretaker. However, I can't be there for him every moment, not with my other responsibilities."

"Which is where I come in," Whiskey interrupted. Mephisto only nodded, not caring that he had been cut off. In fact, he looked pleased that she had caught on so quickly. "So what, am I supposed to train him? I doubt he happens to have powers like mine, unless you're going to tell me I have two brothers I've never met before?"

Once again, Mephisto let out a snort. Whiskey was used to her father's attitudes, so she waited it out. "Now, while that would be an interesting sequence of events, that's not the case. After all, you're my only child in this era, my precious Whiskey-chan." It was probably supposed to be a reassurance, but Whiskey felt her stomach squirm. Something about having a bunch of siblings that were more than likely long dead didn't sit well with her. "No, instead, what I'm asking is quite simple."

Mephisto twirled a finger in the air before pointing it at his daughter.

"Whiskey-chan," he announced, "Rin-kun had awakened his demon blood and has hardly known about the existence of demons for two days. Given the identity of his father—ah, his blood father, not Shiro-kun—it's better for him to keep his demon status a secret. I'd say that if anyone knows the best way to do that, it would be you. And since you're in the same cram school class as him, it all works out."

The only way this could have been any more of a coincidence would be if Mephisto said that she and Okumura Rin were in the same general classes as well. Then again, with Mephisto involved, such a scenario would hardly be a coincidence.

But then again, Whiskey knew he was right. Her father was usually right, after all. Things were easier if she didn't show off her demon side. Not that it had exactly worked, but she had done enough to avoid any major incidents. And for Okumura Rin…if his father was a troublesome topic, it was even more important for him to keep the secret than it was for her.

That was enough for her not to ask. Just doing what she could would be enough.

"Okay, I'll help him out," Whiskey agreed, leaning on her father's desk. Mephisto looked up, his usual wide smile on his face. "It might make things a bit crazier, but I'm okay with it. Besides, someone else could help him, but that would just let the secret out. And that's taking things too complicated way too fast in my opinion."

Mephisto nodded his approval. "Then I'll leave it to you, Whiskey-chan." He stood up and ruffled his daughter's hair. Whiskey frowned a little, but didn't give any other protest. "Now, this has taken a bit of extra time more than I anticipated. I have some things to attend to. Why don't you meet up with Rin-kun after cram school? From there, the decisions you make are up to you."

Another snap of his fingers sent Whiskey blinking again. It wasn't a big shift, just outside the office, but Whiskey supposed that if Mephisto thought it was necessary, there was no sense in arguing against it. Especially given that her father wasn't around anymore. His business was probably some form of urgent.

Whiskey sighed.

_Another half-demon student, huh?_ She thought as she walked. _Well, it's not unusual, but I guess this must be a special case. Really, that's just like Vati not to give me any warning at all…but I guess it was circumstantial?_ Whiskey had to stop herself from grinding her teeth together, her incisors starting to dig into her lip. _I wonder what kind of powers he has then? No, wait._

_Does Yukio-kun know?_

It was a stupid question. He would have had to know. Yukio had had his temptaint for years. Even if Okumura Rin's powers had just surfaced, a chance like that should have been obvious.

_No, nonono. Just stop altogether. _Whiskey needed to stop thinking about it now. _You have the information you need. Don't go prying for all the details. Drama is drama. But even so, it's manageable, just the way it is. Just take a deep breath and move on with life._

Inhale. Exhale. It was all she could do right now. Another set of breaths. _Zen._ It was complete bullshit, but Whiskey didn't care. She relaxed herself, keeping the air clear. Right now, she was just a student in cram school that had lessons in a half hour that she needed to get ready for.

It could be routine. It just had to be kept simple. Go to school, go to cram school, complete assignments, hang out with friends. The sort of thing people did every day. It didn't matter that she was an exorcist in training, half-demon, the Headmaster's daughter. None of that had to make any difference.

On an ordinary day, Whiskey walked across campus. Most students had already went for the dorms, or even the town, enjoying their afternoon off. It wasn't particularly warm, but the winter uniform made the early spring air comfortable. Even the sun was shining.

High school. Somehow, something as boring as that made her stomach tingle, more than her exorcist training, more than the prospect of helping out a half-demon.

It was completely unfamiliar territory.

But that was okay. Being nervous was normal. Its own pace. A completely different rhythm that could almost lull someone to sleep. If that was the case, Whiskey wouldn't mind drifting away on a melody like that.

Fifteen minutes before the cram school lesson was set to start, Whiskey unlocked her dorm room door. At one of the three desks was Mocha, delicately loading her things into a bag. Ruma let out a soft snore from the bunk closest to the ceiling.

"Hey, Mocha-chan," Whiskey whispered, causing her friend to perk up, "let's get her."

Mocha nodded. And without any other words, they moved in unison.

* * *

[NOTES] Huh, I wrote a whole chapter without linebreaks. Who would have thought?

In any event, thanks a bunch to iluvninjas, KiraDaughterofPoseidon, theskky448, MisaRin, potpourrie, and patamon642 for the collective reviews, favorites, and follows! That means a lot to me considering how much of a slacker I've been on updating this story. Especially in comparison to _Stronger Than Fire_...

But do not despair! I'm almost finished with [Shibuya Operation - Story Storm], which means I'll be working on my E-Sauce challenge next! That doesn't exactly guarantee anything, but I think we should see chapter three by springtime (I think). To be honest, this is a story I need some time to get my mental state all together on...

Still, even if I'm a crappy updater, I hope you'll look forward to the next chapter!

[POST] 021716


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